Ceres' fantastical craters pop in new NASA images - CNET

Take a close look at Haulani and you'll notice another feature that fascinates scientists. The edges are angular. Compare that with the very circular shapes you see on other space objects like our moon. NASA says the crater's geometric shape is due to "pre-existing stress pattes and faults beneath the surface."

Dawn also sent back an image of a much smaller crater named Oxo. NASA refers to it as a "hidden treasure." It's just 6 miles (10 kilometers) wide, but it's also the second brightest feature on the dwarf planet. Only the center of the Occator Crater is brighter. Scientists are currently studying it to lea more about its mineral composition, which may be different from the rest of Ceres.

The Dawn mission launched in 2007 and first spent time investigating the protoplanet Vesta before heading on to check out Ceres. As of mid-April, Dawn is in a low orbit around Ceres, at a mere 240 miles (385 kilometers) above the surface. That means we can look forward to more fascinating images of the alien world.